LOMBARD, IL, January 9, 2025 – The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago announced today that Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (Milwaukee, WI), St. Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church (Aurora, IL), and St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church (Palatine, IL) have successfully eliminated their long-term debt or secured pledged commitments to do so in 2025. The remarkable achievements, all realized in 2024, are directly inspired by His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael’s 5-year vision for the Metropolis of Chicago.
Unveiled during the 2023 Clergy-Laity Assembly, the 5-year vision challenges parishes across the Metropolis to eliminate long-term debt estimated at $15 million—by 2028.In the coming year, the Metropolis of Chicago will unveil a parish debt elimination policy under which parishes can apply and receive grant(s) after meeting policy criteria. The policy is intended to promote sustainable financial health and encourage commitment of full parish resources toward parish life.
Transformative Parish Success Stories
St. Athanasios – Aurora, IL
Motivated by the 5-year vision, parish leaders at St. Athanasios identified their $208,000 mortgage debt as the greatest obstacle to parish growth. Guided by newly developed parish mission, vision, and values statements, the parish launched a fundraising campaign in January 2024. The campaign exceeded its goals, eliminating debt and creating a surplus for capital projects. Parish leaders are now exploring the development of a nearby five-acre lot to expand ministry and community engagement.
“The Metropolis’ 5-year vision inspired us to reevaluate our priorities,” said Fr. Panagiotis Boznos, parish priest of St. Athanasios. “By embracing our parish mission, vision, and values, we realized that debt elimination wasn’t just a financial goal—it was a spiritual opportunity to create space for growth. Today, excitement abounds about the future of our parish and its potential to serve God and our community.”
Annunciation – Milwaukee, WI
Annunciation received a transformative $2.6 million bequest from long-time parishioners, the Syriopoulos sisters. Inspired by the 5-year vision and guided by its own strategic planning process, the parish retired its $968,000 mortgage in 2024. The remaining funds were conservatively invested to support future initiatives, including a 3- year parish strategic plan launching in 2025. “The 5-year vision gave us a framework to think boldly about our future,” said Fr. Ciprian Sas, parish priest of Annunciation. “It inspired us to develop our own mission, vision, and values, which helped us focus on what truly matters: being a Christ-centered, people-focused community. The generosity of the Syriopoulos sisters has further energized our parish, allowing us to plan confidently for the years ahead.”
St. Nectarios – Palatine, IL
When the 5-year vision was introduced in 2023, St. Nectarios parish leaders were already steadily reducing their $2.5 million debt, which had accumulated over 15 years. However, the vision inspired the parish to accelerate its efforts by developing its own mission-driven approach. In 2024, the parish raised $1.8 million in donations and pledges, ensuring its debt will be fully retired by 2025. With financial burdens lifted, the parish is now focused on expanding philanthropic and evangelization efforts.
“The Metropolis’ vision reminded us that our financial health is directly tied to our ability to serve God and others,” said Fr. Chris Mihalopoulos, parish priest of St. Nectarios. “Through mission and gratitude, we embraced an abundance mindset, and this perspective helped us achieve more than we thought possible.”
A Vision that Unites Parish and Metropolis Life
Although each parish faced unique challenges, their success stories share a common thread: all three were inspired by the Metropolis’ 5-year vision to establish their own mission, vision, and values statements. These statements became foundational to their strategic planning, empowering them to address both financial and ministry goals.
“The 5-year vision of the Metropolis is not merely an institutional plan—it is a call to action for every parish to embrace its own mission and purpose. These parishes have shown that, when we align ourselves with Christ and approach challenges with faith, clarity, and unity, remarkable things happen. Their success is a sign of the growing vitality of our Church and a testament to the power of shared vision,” said His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael.
The Metropolis of Chicago will continue to support parishes to embrace mission-driven growth, address challenges, and flourish as vibrant communities of faith. By developing their own mission, vision, and values, parishes are empowered to align their efforts with the overarching vision of the Metropolis of Chicago. As this happens, parishes are better positioned to address both financial and spiritual challenges with clarity and purpose and, ultimately, to revitalize parish life.
About the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago
Tracing its roots back to the early 1920s, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago is a bishopric of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople consisting of 58 parishes and two monastic communities in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Indiana, and central Missouri. The Metropolis of Chicago also is one of nine eparchies in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and is presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago. The general offices of the Metropolis are temporarily located in Lombard, Illinois. For more information and to get involved, visit our Metropolis website and/or sign up to receive Metropolis news. For further information, contact the Metropolis of Chicago at: contactus@chicago.goarch.org or 312-736-2280.
